Consultation on the proposed reduction of school places by closing Roding Primary School at Hewett Road

This consultation has concluded.






The London Borough of Barking & Dagenham and Roding Primary School are exploring early plans to reduce the number of places at Roding Primary School by closing their school site at Hewett Road and to consolidate the school onto their Cannington Road at the end of the next school year (2025/26) following falling pupil numbers.




Background

Many London boroughs are seeing a drop in demand for mainstream school places. Families are moving out of the capital due to high living costs, lack of affordable housing, and the effects of the pandemic and Brexit. As a result, birth rates in London are falling, though the impact varies across different areas. Some boroughs have even had to close schools.

Locally, we’re seeing fewer primary-aged children in some parts of the borough, while other areas are growing. In the long term, new housing developments in the south will need more school places, but in other areas, we’ll need to reduce the number of places available. Roding Primary School has been affected by this trend.


About Roding Primary School

The school runs across two sites - Hewett Road and Cannington Road (just 0.84km apart). Despite efforts to attract more families, pupil numbers at Hewett Road have dropped. The school can take 378 pupils but only has 245 enrolled as of September 2025.

Because school funding depends on pupil numbers, this has created financial pressure. Fewer pupils also means fewer staff and limited social opportunities for children. The school has worked hard to address these issues, but forecasts show numbers at Hewett Road are unlikely to improve.

Roding Primary has space for 6 forms of entry but is only operating at 4 across both sites. This leaves us with no option but to explore, through this consultation, the closure of the Roding Primary Hewett Road site


About the consultation

We are consulting on the possible closure of the Hewett Road site. If this goes ahead, pupils and staff would move to Cannington Road and remain part of the Roding Primary School community.

You can let us know your views on this proposal and how it will impact you by completing the form below.

The consultation will close on 7th November 2025.






The London Borough of Barking & Dagenham and Roding Primary School are exploring early plans to reduce the number of places at Roding Primary School by closing their school site at Hewett Road and to consolidate the school onto their Cannington Road at the end of the next school year (2025/26) following falling pupil numbers.




Background

Many London boroughs are seeing a drop in demand for mainstream school places. Families are moving out of the capital due to high living costs, lack of affordable housing, and the effects of the pandemic and Brexit. As a result, birth rates in London are falling, though the impact varies across different areas. Some boroughs have even had to close schools.

Locally, we’re seeing fewer primary-aged children in some parts of the borough, while other areas are growing. In the long term, new housing developments in the south will need more school places, but in other areas, we’ll need to reduce the number of places available. Roding Primary School has been affected by this trend.


About Roding Primary School

The school runs across two sites - Hewett Road and Cannington Road (just 0.84km apart). Despite efforts to attract more families, pupil numbers at Hewett Road have dropped. The school can take 378 pupils but only has 245 enrolled as of September 2025.

Because school funding depends on pupil numbers, this has created financial pressure. Fewer pupils also means fewer staff and limited social opportunities for children. The school has worked hard to address these issues, but forecasts show numbers at Hewett Road are unlikely to improve.

Roding Primary has space for 6 forms of entry but is only operating at 4 across both sites. This leaves us with no option but to explore, through this consultation, the closure of the Roding Primary Hewett Road site


About the consultation

We are consulting on the possible closure of the Hewett Road site. If this goes ahead, pupils and staff would move to Cannington Road and remain part of the Roding Primary School community.

You can let us know your views on this proposal and how it will impact you by completing the form below.

The consultation will close on 7th November 2025.